Enhanced swales

Skeleton schematic illustrating the installation of check dams with centralized, flow concentrating cutouts

The check dams are spaced slightly further apart than would be recommended to maximize infiltration capacity i.e. ponding isn't quite continuous between the dams.

This article is about installations designed to capture and convey surface runoff along a vegetated channel, whilst also promoting infiltration.
For underground conveyance which promotes infiltration, see Exfiltration trenches.
For conveyance along planted channels, on both surface and underground, see Bioswales.

Overview

Enhanced swales are an ideal technology for:

• Sloped sites,
• Cheaply retrofitting and improving the performance of existing grass swales.

The fundamental components of an enhanced grassed swale are:

• Graded channel
• Resilient turf grass
• Check dams, to facilitate short term ponding

Additional components may include:

• Amended soil, to of filter media increase infiltration to soils below
• Turf reinforcement, to prevent scour

Planning considerations

When planning a new site, all swales and overground flow paths should be fitted perpendicular to existing contours. See Natural drainage and Existing hydrology.

Best cross sections

Both sections a)triangular and, b)trapezoidal, are constrained within ratios of 8:1 H:V

At lowest flow rates (smallest area) the trapezoidal swale (b) has the greater wetted perimeter; at higher flow rates (greater area) the triangular geometry (a)has a larger wetted perimeter for same area. Both channels modelled using ratios shown in figure above

Enhanced swales aim to both reduce the flow rate and retain a portion of the conveyed water. For these purposes the best x-section is that which maximizes the wetted perimeter for a given area. For a given width and depth, the difference between a triangular and trapzoidal section is small. As shown in the diagrams, under low flow conditions the trapezoidal has greater wetted perimeter, and at higher flows the triangular profile does.

Safety

As shallow grassed swales are a common roadside construction, the Ministry of Transport has created their own guide to maximum flow depth and freeboard. Their advice has been prepared specifically for high risk environments and those stringent constraints should not be applied to all circumstances. In many urban environments the principle of applying check dams to enhance all surface BMPS can be safely used to encourage ponding and subsequent infiltration for a day or two.

Design

All swales should be designed to meet the following criteria:

• Minimum residence time of 5 minutes.
• Maximum flow velocity 0.3 m/s
• Bottom width between 0.6 - 2.4 m
• Minimum length 30 m

Maximum depth of flow

• 50% height of grass for regularly mown swales, to maximum of 75 mm.
• 33% height of vegetation for infrequently mown swales.

Modeling

Swale element in TTT menu

Weir elements may be incorporated as check dams for detailed design

It is recommended that grass and enhanced grass swales be modelled using the 'Swale' element in the TTT. A 'swale' has to connect two existing elements within the TTT Bioswales or dry swales, which have amended filter media, should be modelled as bioretention cells. The alternative is to use the 'enhanced swale' within the LID toolbox, but this incorporates fewer design parameters (and doesn't account for infiltration).

A 'swale' as a conveyance element in the TTT (key parameters)

General Info
Upstream Node	Name of node on the inlet end of the swale (higher elevation)
Downstream Node	Name of node on the outlet end of the swale (lower elevation)
Manning's Roughness	Lower numbers indicate less surface obstruction and result in faster flow. Suggested range for mown grass (dependent on density) 0.03 – 0.06
Upstream Invert (m)	Depth of swale invert above node invert at inlet end of the swale
Downstream Invert (m)	Depth or elevation of the swale invert above the node invert at the outlet end of the swale
Cross section
Maximum Depth (m)	Depth of the swale
Bottom Width (m)	Bottom width of the trapezoidal swale For a triangular channel, enter 0
Left Side Slope (m/m)	Left side slope (run/rise). Suggested value of 3 or 4 if design permits.
Right Side Slope (m/m)	Right side slope (run/rise). Suggested value of 3 or 4 if design permits.
Seepage (mm/hour)	Infiltration rate of native (or amended) soil

Parameters for 'enhanced swales' in the LID toolbox of the TTT

Surface
Berm height (mm)	This is the height of the curb which constrains the overland sheet flow of water. Where the bottom of the slope discharges directly into another LID facility without impedance, the value is 0.
Surface roughness (Manning’s n)	Lower numbers indicate less surface obstruction and result in faster flow. Suggested range for mown grass (dependent on density) 0.03 – 0.06
Surface slope (%)	If the slope > 3%, use Check dams to create temporary ponding, increase infiltration, and slow flow to reduce erosion.
Swale side slopes (run/rise)	Suggested value of 3 or 4 if design permits.

Materials

Resilient turf grasses are particularly useful in the design of vegetated filter strips, dry ponds and enhanced grass swales. The Ministry of Transportation have standardized a number of grass mixes. The 'Salt Tolerant Mix' is of particular value for low impact development applications alongside asphalt roadways and paved walkways.

Canada #1 Ground Cover (salt tolerant mix)

Common name	Scientific name	Proportion
Tall Fescue	Festuca arundinacea	25 %
Fults Alkali Grass	Puccinellia distans	20 %
Creeping Red Fescue	Festuca rubra	25 %
Perennial ryegrass	Lolium perrenne	20 %
Hard Fescue	Festuca trachyphylla	10 %

This rain garden in a school yard uses stone as both decorative edging and for erosion control.

This bioswale in a parking lot uses stone at the inlets and along the bottom of the swale to prevent erosion, as the sides are sloped.

For advice on aggregates used in underdrains, see Reservoir aggregate.

Stone or gravel can serve as a low maintenance decorative feature, but it may also serve many practical functions on the surface of an LID practice.

Stone for erosion control

Aggregates used to line swales or otherwise dissipate energy (e.g. in forebays) should have high angularity to increase the permissible shear stress applied by the flow of water. However, in some surface landscaped applications there may be a desire to use a rounded aggregate such as 'river rock' for aesthetic reasons. Rounded stones should be of sufficient size to resist being moved by the flow of water. Typical stone for this purpose ranges between 50 mm and 250 mm in diameter. The larger the stone, the more energy dissipation.

• Stone beds should be twice as thick as the largest stone's diameter.
• If the stone bed is underlain by a drainage geotextile, annual inspection and possible replacement should be performed as there is a potential for clogging of this layer to occur.

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  Stone lining the ponding zone of this rain garden. Image credit California Native Plant Society

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  Coarse angular stone laid onto a geogrid and geotextile. Image from wikimedia commons

Stone mulch

Finer inorganic mulch materials can be of value applied in areas with extended ponding times i.e. in the the centre of recessed, bowl shaped bioretention, stormwater planters, trenches or swale practices. Inorganic mulches resist movement from flowing water and do not float. Applying a thin layer of inorganic mulch over the top of wood based mulch has been shown to reduce migration of the underlying layer by around 25% . Inorganic mulches which may be available locally, include:

• Pea gravel
• River rock/beach stone
• Recycled glass
• Crushed mussel shells

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Check dams

Check dams are small dams or weirs constructed across a drainage ditch, swale, or channel to lower the speed of concentrated flows for a certain design range of storm events and to promote infiltration.

Check dams:

• may be constructed of any resilient and waterproof material, including: rock gabions, earth berms, coarse aggregate or rip-rap, concrete or metal. Stone used in check dams should have minimum median diameter 25 - 75 mm.
• for enhanced swales may be up to 0.6 m in height; the maximum design depth of ponded water should be ≤ 0.6 m.
• designed for higher flow velocities should have spillways incorporated into their profile, to direct water to the centre of the swale.
• are usually installed between 10 - 20 m along the swale. The spacing of dams should not exceed the horizontal distance from the toe of the upstream dam to the same elevation on the downstream dam.
• should have energy dissipation and erosion control measures installed in the 1 - 2 m downstream. Examples include large aggregate or turf reinforcement

Sizing and spacing of check dams

Check dams are a feature of enhanced grass swales. They promote infiltration and evaporation by promoting limited ponding. To design check dams into a swale:

1. The height of each dam is determined by the depth of ponded water that will infiltrate in a specified period (often 48 - 72 hours). The infiltration may be through the turf grass or other plants directly into the native soil or some soil amendments may be proposed in the design.
2. The gradient between the top of the lower check dam and the bottom of the upper one is called "compensation gradient" which is the future or final effective gradient of the swale. It is formed when material carried by flowing water fills the check dams to spillway level.
3. Dams are usually installed between 10-20 m along the swale. The spaces between check dams can be determined according to the compensation gradient and the effective height of the dams. They are distributed such that the crest of each dam is at approximately the same elevation as the toe of the upstream dam. If the slope along the swale varies, so should the distance between the dams.
4. The compensation gradient of enhanced swales must be < 1 % (0.5 % preferred).

The objective of these design recommendations are to maximize the distribution of ponded water along the whole BMP. Detailed design may require iteration of the dam heights and distances along each section of a long swale.

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To estimate the depth of water that can be infiltrated into a surface within a given time:

$y=f'\times t$

Where:

• y = the depth of ponded water in mm,
• f' = the design infiltration rate in mm/hr (after correction, where required).
• t = time in hrs

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After surveying the longitudinal profile of the swale, the number of check dams for the swale can be calculated by using the following equation:

$Number\ of\ dams={\frac {L\left(S_{i}-S_{e}\right)}{h}}$

Where:

• L: Length of swale (m)
• S_i: Initial existing slope ratio of the swale (rise/run)
• S_e: Desired effective slope of the enhanced swale (between 0.005 - 0.01, rise/run)
• h: The average effective height of the check dams in m (excluding foundations)(suggest you use y, calculated above)

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• The first check dam should be constructed on a stable point in the gully such as a rock outcrop, the junction point of the gully to a road, the main stream or river, lake or reservoir.
• If there is no such stable point, a counter-dam must be constructed. The distance between the first dam and the counter-dam must be at least two times the effective height of the first check dam.
• The points where the ensuing check dams are to be built are determined according to the compensation gradient and the effective height of the check dams.
• The effective height of the second check dam is determined by taking into account the depth of the swale, the depth of the spillway and the maximum height of the check dam.
• In this way, all the other proposed check dam points can be calculated.

When spacing check dams, give preference to the narrowest parts of the swale in order to reduce construction costs. In this case, to establish the compensation gradient between the proposed check dams, proportionately increase the foundation depth of the upper check dam when the space between the lower and upper check dam is extended. When the space is shortened, decrease the foundation depth. As the foundation depth is increased, the total height of the check dam (effective height plus foundation depth) should not exceed the permissible, maximum total height.

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Example Calculation

An enhanced swale of 42 m has an existing longitudinal slope of 6 %. The underlying soil has been amended to infiltrate at 16 mm/hr (after safety correction applied); the regulatory authority requires that ponded water must not remain for over 48 hours. The maximum height of the check dams (h) to prevent extended ponding is:: $h=16\ mm/hr\times 48\ hrs=768\ mm$

But the maximum recommended depth of check dams is 0.6 m (600 mm).

(As an aside, these will drain in ${\frac {600\ mm}{16\ mm/hr}}=37.5\ hrs$)

The current vertical distance along the swale is:: $42\ m\times \left({\frac {6}{100}}\right)=2.52\ m$

The desired effective slope to slow flow is 0.5%. The vertical distance along the swale with compensation gradient is:: $42\ m\times \left({\frac {0.5}{100}}\right)=0.21\ m$

The number of check dams required is:: ${\frac {\left(2.52\ m\times 0.21\ m\right)}{0.6\ m}}=3.85$

This is rounded up to 4 dams, creating 5 ponding zones::

${\frac {42\ m}{5}}=8.4\ m$

So the four check dams will be 0.6 m high and spaced every 8.4 m along the swale. These are fairly close together, but this construction is achievable and the dimensions are not remarkable, given the change in gradient is an order of magnitude.

Gallery

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  Enhanced swale with rocky check dams and a metal overflow grate in Northgate Mall parking lot, Seattle. Photo credit: MLSmith

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  Bioswale with rock check dams to slow down the water, encouraging infiltration. Note the biodegradable erosion control blanket still in place. LSRCA headquarters, 2017

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  Concrete check dam with armourstone to protect against erosion. Concrete colour blends well with surrounding stone. This dam extends to the full depth of the swale and has 25 mm ø weep holes below grade.

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  A check dam in action, effectively pooling water.

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  A swale during a rain event, with concrete check dams, armourstone, mulch and Tall grasses to slow down moving water (as shown in the .gif file) to promote infiltration in the feature.

Also see Jen's Pinterest board of check dams

External references

FAO

Planting Design Considerations

• Grasses and herbaceous species with dense root structure cover should be favoured along the bottom of the swale for their ability to increase infiltration, stabilize soils, retain pollutants and assist with suspended solids.
• The plant material on the slopes of grass channels must be capable of withstanding periodic inundation in addition to extended periods of drought. Species include grasses and groundcovers, as well as low shrub species.
• Plants along the exterior of this zone act to slow the flow during stormwater events, reducing sedimentation and increasing infiltration. The root structure of this plant material also acts to reduce erosion.
• Selected grasses or groundcovers for grassed swales should be allowed to grow between 75 to 150 mm to assist in filtering suspended solids from stormwater. Therefore these species are either shorter naturally, or tolerate periodic mowing.
• When grasses grow taller they have a tendency to flatten down from the water flow.
• Fine, close-growing species provide for good soil stabilization.
• Species are salt-tolerant due to the typical location of grass channels along roadways and parking lots.
• Erosion protection such as river stone or riprap will be required to dissipate the energy from incoming concentrated flow.
• The channel must be vegetated immediately after grading. Preferably, the swale should be planted in the spring so that the vegetation can become established with minimal irrigation.

Structures constructed of a non-erosive material, such as suitably sized aggregate, wood, gabions, riprap, or concrete; used to slow runoff water. Can be employed in practices such as bioswales and enhanced grass swales.

The portion of water precipitated onto a catchment area, which then flows as surface discharge from the catchment area past a specified point.

Water from rain, snow melt, or irrigation that flows over the land surface.

The slow movement of water into or through a soil or drainage system.

Penetration of water through the ground surface.

A shallow constructed channel, often grass-lined, which is used as an alternative to curb and channel, or as a pretreatment to other measures. Swales are generally characterized by a broad top width to depth ratio and gentle grades.

A shallow constructed channel, often grass-lined, which is used as an alternative to curb and channel, or as a pretreatment to other measures. Swales are generally characterized by a broad top width to depth ratio and gentle grades.

Vegetated, open channels designed to convey, treat and attenuate runoff. Design variations range from simple grass channels, which are designed primarily for conveyance to more complex treatment and volume reduction designs like enhanced grass swales, and dry swales or bioswales.

A shallow constructed channel, often grass-lined, which is used as an alternative to curb and channel, or as a pretreatment to other measures. Swales are generally characterized by a broad top width to depth ratio and gentle grades.

A shallow constructed channel, often grass-lined, which is used as an alternative to curb and channel, or as a pretreatment to other measures. Swales are generally characterized by a broad top width to depth ratio and gentle grades.

Linear bioretention cell designed to convey, treat and attenuate stormwater runoff. The engineered filter media soil mixture and vegetation slows the runoff water to allow sedimentation, filtration through the root zone, evapotranspiration, and infiltration into the underlying native soil.

The engineered soil component of bioretention cell or dry swale designs, typically with a high rate of infiltration and designed to retain contaminants through filtration and adsorption to particles.

Vegetated open channel, with check dams; designed to convey, treat and attenuate stormwater runoff.

Low Impact Development. A stormwater management strategy that seeks to mitigate the impacts of increased urban runoff and stormwater pollution by managing it as close to its source as possible. It comprises a set of site design approaches and small scale stormwater management practices that promote the use of natural systems for infiltration and evapotranspiration, and rainwater harvesting.

The rate at which stormwater percolates into the subsoil measured in inches per hour.

A compacted earthen wall that diverts runoff or creates shallow ponding of runoff. In some cases, runoff ponds behind the berm and gradually flows through it or is infiltrated.

(1) The wearing away of the land surface by moving water, wind, ice or other geological agents, including such processes as gravitation creep; (2) Detachment and movement of soil or rock fragments by water, wind, ice or gravity (i.e. Accelerated, geological, gully, natural, rill, sheet, splash, or impact, etc).

A stormwater management strategy that seeks to mitigate the impacts of increased urban runoff and stormwater pollution by managing it as close to its source as possible. It comprises a set of site design approaches and small scale stormwater management practices that promote the use of natural systems for infiltration and evapotranspiration, and rainwater harvesting.

A mixture of mineral aggregates bound with bituminous materials, used in the construction and maintenance of paved surfaces.

A lot level bioretention cell designed to receive and detain, infiltrate and filter runoff, typically used for discharge from downspouts.

Includes the protection of soil from dislocation by water, wind or other agents.

Linear bioretention cell designed to convey, treat and attenuate stormwater runoff. The engineered filter media soil mixture and vegetation slows the runoff water to allow sedimentation, filtration through the root zone, evapotranspiration, and infiltration into the underlying native soil.

A broad category of particulate material used in construction, including sand, gravel, crushed stone, slag, recycled concrete and geosynthetic aggregates, and available in various particulate size gradations.

A broad category of particulate material used in construction, including sand, gravel, crushed stone, slag, recycled concrete and geosynthetic aggregates, and available in various particulate size gradations.

A broad category of particulate material used in construction, including sand, gravel, crushed stone, slag, recycled concrete and geosynthetic aggregates, and available in various particulate size gradations.

a top dressing over vegetation beds that provides suppresses weeds and helps retain soil moisture in bioretention cells, stormwater planters and dry swales.

Structures constructed of a non-erosive material, such as suitably sized aggregate, wood, gabions, riprap, or concrete; used to slow runoff water. Can be employed in practices such as bioswales and enhanced grass swales.

A long narrow trench or furrow dug in the ground, as for irrigation, drainage, or a boundary line.

Abiotic transfer of water vapour to the atmosphere.

The natural ground material characteristic of or existing by virtue of geographic origin.

Structures constructed of a non-erosive material, such as suitably sized aggregate, wood, gabions, riprap, or concrete; used to slow runoff water. Can be employed in practices such as bioswales and enhanced grass swales.

Best management practice. State of the art methods or techniques used to manage the quantity and improve the quality of wet weather flow. BMPs include: source, conveyance and end-of-pipe controls.

Lake Simcoe Region Conservation Authority

Deposition of material of varying size, both mineral and organic away from its site of origin by the action of water, wind, gravity or ice.

Settling-out or deposition of particulate matter suspended in runoff.

Surface runoff from at-grade surfaces, resulting from rain or snowmelt events.

Human application of water to agricultural or recreational land for watering purposes. City of Toronto Wet Weather Flow Management November 2006 47

a top dressing over vegetation beds that provides suppresses weeds and helps retain soil moisture in bioretention cells, stormwater planters and dry swales.

A shallow excavated surface depression containing prepared filter media, mulch, and planted with selected vegetation.